What is it about that song?

Being that I work with children and with people who work with children, I hear this question a lot. Sometimes it's whispered in confusion. Sometimes it bursts out like a shotgun. Either way, a lot of adults are wondering the same thing.

Because we've all noticed it. Frozen has taken over the minds of our girls. Specifically, the song "Let it Go".

If you've been hibernating the last few months you might have missed the way this song has swept the nation. You haven't noticed the covers performed by everyone imaginable, the views on the YouTube video crawling up and up, the karaoke cred, the tumblr memes, or the way preteens get glassy eyed and passionate whenever the opening chords begin. If you've been hibernating the last few months, you're probably also very hungry and very annoyed that it's still rainy and cold here in Seattle.

Back on topic.

What is it about that song?

"Let it Go" occurs at a key point in the film, the point at which Elsa has fled her home after losing control of her special ice powers. She's spent most of her life trapped indoors, trying to live up to expectations and keeping a tight lid on her unique quirk. She believes that the way she was born is too large, too powerful, too unpredictable, and too dangerous to be anything except suppressed.

"Let it Go" is when she gives up on that. She realizes that she can't try for normalcy anymore. It isn't going to happen. Instead, in order to be fully herself, she has to live alone.

The reason so many girls have embraced this song is because they identify with it.

They know what it is like to have energy and ambition, emotions like thunderbolts, and strength that they aren't allowed to use.

They know what it is like to suppress all of that in the interest of being a "good girl". They know how to keep quiet, because they've been praised so many times for their silence. They understand artifice, because isn't social success built upon creating an acceptable persona? They fear that if anyone truly sees them for who they are, they'll be rejected. They might even hurt the people they care about.

"Let it Go" offers a dream of defiance. It offers hope, because it tells us that maybe that hateful secret we've been hiding can be beautiful. It suggests that maybe the worlds inside us are worth the cost.

Is it all that surprising that so many kids have gone bonkers for it?

So what do we do with this?

I'm not a parent, so I can't speak as a parent. I can only speak as a teacher and the lesson I'm taking is to leave room for exploration. To not sacrifice creativity for discipline. There's room for both. When done right, dance can provide a safe place for kiddos to get all that energy out and to be bigger than themselves. A place where their quirks can be an asset.

What about you? Does "Let it Go" make your pulse race? Were there any Disney songs from your childhood that had a similar effect on you?

Credit: http://royal-tarts.deviantart.com

While we're on the topic - This news story is absolutely adorable. Cheers to these courageous men who helped a little girl find her own courage. Massachusetts firefighters sing 'Frozen' song to keep little girl calm. 

The Lofgies - 2013 Edition

It's that time of the year again! Presented here, in alphabetical (not preferential) order are my top ten films of the year. Choosing ten favorites was surprisingly difficult, which testifies to how great a year this was. A lot of strong films didn't make the list.

So, with no further ado….

Here they are!

12 Years a Slave

I didn't expect to like 12 Years a Slave. It's a topic that can go bad so easily. In the wrong hands this film could have been preachy, melodramatic, patronizing, or just a miserable slog. Instead, there's a natural and genuine nature to the horrors that unfold. The observational quality of the cinematography means that the film doesn't make any judgements, it merely reveals events as they occur. The slave owners aren't one-dimensional monsters. The slaves walk a fine line between retaining their humanity and ensuring their survival. There's a lot to take away from this film. What did I take away? Perhaps an abhorrence for the all-too-common attitude of entitlement that accompanies commerce. Too often we believe that we are owed the freedom of others. Yeah, it's a historical film, but the messages are still tragically prevalent in this modern age.

Before Midnight

A small percentage of the population has followed the adventures of Jesse and Celine for almost two decades now. Each installment in this series has come to embody a certain stage of life, portraying the way we slowly crystalize into the people we're meant to be as our hopes evolve. What a pleasure it is to get to know these mature, complex and interesting people! What a joy to watch a serious relationship onscreen! Too often we're presented with only the first chapter in the story, the "meet cute" on the train for Vienna. Not this time. This time romance is a luxury buried behind all the irritations, reoccurring conflicts and slights (both real and imagined). Growing up is a painful business, but one with moments of intimacy and beauty that can make it worthwhile. I'd venture to say that not only is this a beautiful and challenging film, but it's also a very important film. I'll be there in nine years for the next one.

Blue is the Warmest Color (La Vie d'Adele)

Most of the press on this film has centered around the lesbian sexy times in it. Yes, there are lesbian sexy times. If you aren't into that sort of thing, this probably isn't the film for you. And, as a few reviewers have mentioned, the sex scenes have a whiff of the straight man's fantasy about them which makes them seem a little… false? But, don't let yourself get caught up in that. There's so many other things to love in this movie. The two lead performances are so genuine that I can't imagine the same film with any other actresses. They so perfectly embodied these two girls. The film is filled with carefully sketched details and small truths that lend it a unique texture. Blue is the Warmest Color tells a simple story of love found and lost, one that we've seen a million times before. But, somehow the experience of watching this movie is like feeling it all for the first time.

Frances Ha

I love Frances! She has such a joyful spirit and sense of reoccurring wonder. Sure, she's not the world's most practical girl, but her resilience helps her face the litany of hard knocks that occur throughout this film. Frances defines herself as a dancer, but she isn't cutting it in the highly-competitive dance industry. The most important relationship in her life is with her best friend Sophie, but Sophie is gradually leaving Frances behind. Her boyfriend? Not really a boyfriend. Her apartment? Well, that's in flux. The best section of this film is the hysterical/tragic Paris vacation. I related so strongly to Frances's mental state in those moments, when she tries desperately to keep clinging to an acceptable narrative for her life. How do you define yourself when everything you want to be is drifting away?

The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza)

The scope of this film is massive, dazzling and ambitious. Years ago lead character Jep wrote a highly regarded novel, but since then he's embraced his life as the heart of Rome's social world. Jep is at every party, watching every absurd performance and wandering through the halls of each museum. He's hungry for conversation, for connections and new experiences. He wants to feel everything and nothing all at once. In one scene, Jep explains to a friend the appropriate behavior for attending a funeral. He demonstrates the proper way to comfort the bereaved, the proper clothes to wear, the proper place in which to sit. In his wisdom, he's figured everything out. But, despite this, life and death still touch him. In the instances that they do, the film becomes a masterpiece.

Gravity

People are going to be talking about Gravity for a very long time. The technical achievements are so great that they achieve a new kind of artistry, proving that CGI can be used in a way that is deeply meaningful. The story at the core of Gravity is simple, fight-to-survive stuff. But, through the unique vision of the filmmaking, that kernel of a story flings us out into distances further than we can imagine, challenging us with starkness, majesty and impossible odds. This is a movie that is both gorgeous and terrifying. It's the kind of achievement that pushes the entire film industry forward, giving us a glimpse into the future of cinema.

Her

Her offers another peek into the future. Its universe is slightly more grounded than that of Gravity, revealing moments and ideas that seem both familiar and strange. It's that line between the familiar and strange that defines so much of this film. It brings us into the most foreign situations, and yet we still relate with the experiences of lead character Theodore. "Her" is about love, but it isn't about the kind of love that is only easy and romantic. Instead, the movie reveals the ways love shapes us, for better and for worse, and how the act of loving another human (or computer) is one of the most dangerous and important things we can do.

Inside Lewyn Davis

This film sits very close to the center of my heart. Lewyn is a tragic character with a deeply wounded soul caught in a cycle where poetry is continuously followed by self-sabotage. A talented artist, he's so removed from practicality or conventionality that the recognition and success he wants is forever out of reach. In the same way, this film denies the viewer any sense of catharsis, creating a story that is both painful and astounding. The music makes it great. The songs form a kind of greek chorus, if greek choruses carried guitars and had the power to whisper the souls of their leads. As this movie shows, sometimes the only place meaning exists is in the chords of a song.

Nebraska

Meanwhile, in Nebraska, David tries to keep everything under control as his father, Woody, grows increasingly difficult to control or predict. Despite all evidence to the contrary, Woody believes he has a winning sweepstakes ticket and he's determined to collect at all costs. Nebraska takes a hard look at the way we are shaped by our families and environments, the things we let float by and the moments we put our feet down. It's quietly funny in odd ways and, to anyone who grew up with a bevy of strange relatives, it will feel uncomfortably familiar. This isn't a pretty film. It takes a dingy and unromantic look at life, but one that still allows moments of significance and levity to shine.

The Wolf of Wall Street

If I had to sum up The Wolf of Wall Street in one word, that word would be "audacious". This isn't a movie content with small victories or quiet moments. Instead, it throws every trick at the screen, talking a million miles a minute and showing you everything you could ever want to see. It's the ultimate personification of its hero, Jordan Belfort, matching him step for step and smarm for smarm. Excess looks simultaneously like the best and worst days of your life. The Wolf of Wall Street, through its very determination not to ask questions, has forced a lot of viewers to ask some important questions about prevailing attitudes of entitlement and the problem of wealth addiction.

Honorable Mentions:

Drinking Buddies

Thought its tone is casual and conversational, Drinking Buddies gets to the core of some painful truths. The movie  refuses to give the viewer an easy way out as it explores the murky area where attraction and friendship intersect.

The Hunt (Jagten)

Mads Mikkelsen brings an ample dose of humanity to a challenging role. The Hunt portrays a man at the center of a witch-hunt, trying to dig his way out from the suspicions and hatred of a community that once embraced him.

In A World…

In a World… introduces us to the seedy underbelly of the voice-over industry. Okay, so the underbelly isn't that seedy, but it is funny, charming and fresh.

Prince Avalanche

Deceptively simplistic, this movie hinges on the performances of its charismatic leads. They're both stuck in the middle of nowhere, but for completely different reasons. Growing up with them is a pleasure that is painful, funny and profound.

Mud

Both an adventure film and a coming-of-age story, Mud surpasses both genres. Two boys come into contact with a mysterious stranger who needs their help. Is he a folk hero or something much more dangerous?

Don Jon

Don Jon explores addiction in ways that are both unique and interesting. It has a great rhythm and sense of its own identity, sending its characters stumbling through a series of events where fantasy never quite lives up to reality.


So, there you go! Thank you for sticking around through all of that. What are your opinions on these films? Which do you think is the best? Do you have a different favorite movie for 2013? Let me know!

The Lofgies: If I Owned the Oscars

This was going to be a massive entry with nominations for all categories, but it turns out I just don't have the time for that. So, instead, feast your eyes on my top ten films of 2012. If I owned the Oscars, and the entire Academy consisted of me, these would be the ten films nominated for Best Picture. So, in alphabetical order, I present the Lofgy nominees!

Argo

I have to admit - was surprised when this one took the Golden Globe. And now it's a likely Oscar Best Picture winner? I thought it was pretty good, but best picture good? Eh. Admittedly, I did love the opening scene. It did a great job of sucking me immediately into the story, creating excellent tension and a feeling of authenticity. Unfortunately, the writing wasn't always able to sustain those qualities, inserting cheap Hollywood ploys instead of trusting the fascinating true details of the story. Characters weren't developed much, but the directing was capable and the story absorbing.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

It helps if you approach this not as a movie, but as a visual form of poetry, an emotional character study that builds its own world in the territory of magical realism. To fully appreciate Beasts of the Southern Wild, you have to set aside your adult eyes and let the movie bring you into a child's mind. Everyone will get something different out of it and it's not the kind of film everyone is going to love. Look at it too closely and some of the pieces might start to peel apart. But, it is the kind of film that everyone will remember. And, the leading performance is astounding for its rawness and truth.

Cabin in the Woods

I know, I know. Hah, hah, hah. A horror film? Nominated for an Oscar? Okay, well it's happened a couple of times, but not many. However, I do have the power to nominate it for a Lofgy. Why? If you've seen it, you know. If you haven't seen it... well... it's an intelligent deconstruction of the horror genre that actually addresses a lot of the conflicting emotions and thoughts I personally have in regards to horror.  Things happen in this movie that you've definitely never seen before. Cabin in the Woods turns audiences' expectations upside down and inside out, all the while managing to subscribe to and subvert a traditional, three-act structure. Plus, it's funny. So, if you can handle a little gore, you should check it out. It might change the way you think about scary movies.

Django Unchained

The remarkable thing about this film? Hmm... well, there's the thoughtful and effective pacing. There's the cast filled with vibrant characters who wear their roles like well-fitting, yet beautifully embroidered jackets. Oh, and also the dialogue that sparks and crackles, squeezing laughs out of the audience. It's fun and occasionally rises above the simple adventure/exploitation flick it pretends to be - offering the viewer a candy-coated challenge. I think Tarantino has more crayons in his box than the rest of us. There were a couple elements that didn't sit well with me, (won't elaborate for fear of spoilling) but, in fairness, it wouldn't be a Tarantino picture without these things. This one is larger than life, folks.

Lincoln

When Lincoln started, I became concerned that it might turn out to be an ongoing pastiche of triumphant music, triumphant speeches and small children staring up in adoration at the important man. Fortunately, it wasn't. In its strongest moments, Lincoln steps away from the biopic format and immerses itself in the very real, very complex frustrations of pushing, and sometimes even shoving, a country forward. It boasts a large cast of characters with conflicting motives, many of whom are an absolute joy to watch. A few of the more personal aspects of Lincoln's life, family members and such, are given short shrift, however, by the time the music finally does soar, the viewer feels the kind of emotion that comes from more than just cheap pandering.

Looper

It's a shame that this film was probably never even considered for a nomination. It demonstrates so much creativity that it nearly knocked me over, but also balances all the raw imagination with moments of solemnity and scenes where even the most jaded viewer might find new nightmares to follow them into the morning. Though it did annoy me a bit that so many plot points were explained away with "Well, that's how it is in the future", the film was entertaining, unpredictable and added up to a surprisingly emotional experience. More of this, please.

The Master

At the center of this film is the relationship between two extremely different men, one desperate for a saviour and the other trying to be that saviour. The ways in which they connect, strive and delude themselves are fascinating. The movie is most famous for being a thinly veiled expose on Scientology, but that isn't all it has to share. The imagery is lovely, the structure untraditional, the acting powerful, and the writing dares to wander into challenging and complex territory. An excellent film.

Moonrise Kingdom

Possibly the most Wes Andersony of Wes Anderson films, Moonrise Kingdom proves that Wes Andersoniness can be a glorious thing. Filled with thoughtful details, the heart of this story is about all the ways children and adults face the loneliness and small cruelties of life. Music? Literature? Maybe an affair or even an island campground far away. Those of us who are most fortunate can find understanding in another human and the most beautiful moments in this movie are the moments where the characters truly connect, reaching through all the fantasy and the kitsch to approach something real and ultimately human.

Searching for Sugar Man

This documentary is a more recent addition to the list, since I didn't get to see it in the theaters. It also bumped the excellent French film, Rust and Bone, off the list. What is Searching for Sugar Man? It's the story of Rodriguez, a poet and singer living in Detroit. Though extremely talented, when Rodriguez released a couple of albums in the early 70s, he got completely passed over. The albums didn't sell and Rodriguez went back to working in construction, his talent supposedly silenced. Yet, all the while, he was gaining tremendous popularity in South Africa. Though no one there knew anything about him, his songs spoke to those suffering beneath the oppressive South African government and he became, according to many in the country, as big as the Beatles. The film is punctuated by and ultimately successful because of Rodriguez's haunting music, which is woven throughout. I loved this movie. Even if you think no one cares, you should still sing. You never know. Even if you never find out, your song could be the exact thing someone needs.

Zero Dark Thirty

An immersing examination of the manhunt for Osama Bin Laden. This film has been controversial and, given the topics within, that was probably unavoidable. In my opinion, Zero Dark Thirty is balanced in its exploration of how torture was utilized during this time. It presents information and allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions regarding morality vs. effectiveness. What else does it do well? It manages to build tension within a story where the viewer already knows the outcome. It makes the mundane fascinating and the fascinating mundane, but, that of course makes it fascinating again... Best of all? It captures the complexity of emotions surrounding the entire ordeal, the way it makes us face who we have become as a country and question how these events define us. So yeah. In my opinion, it's a very good movie.

There you have it! My top ten of the year. However, I'm horrible at picking favorites, so I don't know which one I actually liked best. What do you think? Who should take the grand prize? Let me know your thoughts on any of these films and feel free to post your own favorites of 2012 below. Yay movies!

If I Owned the Oscars

Here are my own nomination picks. :) I went ahead and put those that are actual Oscar nominees in blue.

Best Movie

50/50 - Why? Because it's an achievement in balance. All the things you could want from a comedy about cancer. Many of us use humor to help us process the darkest moments in our lives and this movie expertly captures that. Anyone who has had a friend or family member struggle with cancer (which is just about everyone these days) can testify to how true it all feels.

The Artist - Here's the thing about The Artist. Everyone's right. It's great. It's storytelling done excellently. It's all about timing, joy, desperation, pride, and hope. It allows us to rejoice in the details. Sound? Who needs sound? Not me.

Drive - Violent, divisive, and occasionally illogical. This film's strength is in its contrasts, its direction that floats between dreamy to startling and back again. There's a palpable sense of how high the stakes really are and brilliant performances by all involved. Plus, it's just cool.

The Future - Initially I wasn't certain how I felt about this movie. I wondered if it might be too quirky for its own good and if the childish adults populating it were real enough to make their plights seem convincing. But, the more I thought about it, the more it stayed with me. The cat, oh the cat. The pain of change, the desire to grasp for something more without knowing what or who it is you really want. The necessity of growing up, even when growing up means losing something basic and essential. All captured memorably by this devastating little film.

Hugo - I thought Hugo was going to be annoyingly childish, pandering to the audience in the worst way, but it wasn't. No, it was too busy telling a story.... a creative and imaginative story that spoke to the director's deep love of his subject matter. This film is beautiful to look at and a pleasure to experience.

Martha Marcy May Marlene - This movie is deeply unsettling and a brilliant portrayal of how one can be seduced into a bizarre and dangerous world. Rather than following a linear story-line, the plot takes us along on the lead character's emotional journey, with tense, enlightening and occasionally confusing results. Extremely memorable.

Pina - I promise I'm not biased. Yes, I'm a dancer and this is a dance movie. However, keep in mind that I have seen hundreds of dance movies and there aren't many I would consider worthy of an Oscar nomination. Why this one? Well, never have I seen a documentary where direction was so perfectly married with subject matter. The filming felt like an extension of the choreography, something Pina Bausch herself might have had a hand in. Sensitive, creative, crazy, and beautiful.

A Separation - This Iranian film has been getting a lot of buzz, and for good reason. The script is brilliant and sophisticated, every character well-defined. It's a film about everything: religion, marriage, gender, law, parenthood, truth, tradition, progress, society, class, and more, yet it never loses focus or feels cluttered. I felt as if I was watching life unfold before me instead of characters reciting scripted lines. Highly recommended.

The Tree of Life - Unlike most of the world, I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I did, however, think it was a transcendent, unconventional glimpse into the possibilities of nonlinear storytelling. Terrence Malick is a genius at evoking emotion by combining images and sound. Here he is at the top of his game. It breathes hope with every frame.

Young Adult - It's sad that this one got passed over, because I think it's an interesting evolution of the Jason Reitman/Diablo Cody dynamic. It was also much, much better than I expected. The performances were strong, the writing restrained and even charmingly self-referential, and the whole movie pretty gutsy in a super-interesting way. Intelligent, funny and bleak, I thought it was deserving of a nod.

Runner-ups:

Shame

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Possible contenders I haven't seen:

Certified Copy

Melancholia

Don't even talk to me about it:

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

War Horse

Best Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooney - The Descendants

Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Michael Fassbender - Shame

Ryan Gosling - Drive

Gary Oldman - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Runner-ups:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50

Peyman Moaadi - A Separation

Michael Shannon - Take Shelter

Owen Wilson - Midnight in Paris

Possible contender I haven't seen:

Demian Bichir - A Better Life

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain - The Tree of Life

Charlize Theron - Young Adult

Rooney Mara - Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene

Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Runner-ups:

Jessica Chastain - Take Shelter

Viola Davis - The Help

Jody Foster - Carnage

Possible contenders I haven't seen:

Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia

Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin

Don't even talk to me about it:

Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady (Okay, fine, we can talk about it. This isn't against Meryl. I think she's brilliant and that she did the best she could with a script that didn't support her. We didn't get to see her do much more than make speeches and wander around acting senile. Her skills were wasted.)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn

Albert Brooks - Drive

John Hawkes - Martha Marcy May Marlene

Viggo Mortenson - A Dangerous Method

Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Runner-ups:

Ralph Fiennes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Colin Firth - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

John C. Reilly - Cedar Rapids or Terri

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Keira Knightly - A Dangerous Method

Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs

Carey Mulligan - Shame

Octavia Spencer - The Help

Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Runner-ups:

Berenice Bejo - The Artist

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids

That's about all I can handle right now, but if I've got the time I'll share opinions on other categories later this week. (No shortage of opinions here!)

You probably noticed that I didn't pick any winners. I'm not so hot at that. I can usually narrow my favorite films from any year down to about three, but picking a top movie? A top performance? Not so comfortable committing to that. So, I leave it to you. Which would you like to win? Who is your favorite? Did I leave anything important out?

Reader's log:

20. The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

21. Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes - Denise Grover Swank

22. All about Emily - Connie Willis

23. Lady of Devices - Shelley Adina

24. Her Own Devices - Shelley Adina

The Epic 2010 Movie List

Here it is! Only six months late. This is my 2010 movie round-up and best-of list. Because I hate rating things, I've separated the films into brackets, instead of organizing them by stars or numbers or whatever. I know I watch a strange mixture of movies and I missed a few of the big 2010 releases. So, this list is completely arbitrary and mostly for my own amusement. (Keep in mind that I'm an opinionated thing once I get going). Weee!

The 'Everyone Involved Needs to Apologize to the American Public' Bracket

- Burlesque - I knew this was going to be cliche and awful, but I was hoping it would be fun, cliche and awful. After all, I can watch Staying Alive and Grease 2 over and over again. I love a cheesy musical. But this? This was just boring and bad.

- Knight & Day - Was I the only one who thought this movie was incredibly creepy? Tom Cruise's character seems like a psychopathic and Cameron Diaz's character seems like an idiot for wanting to be anywhere near him. There was one awesome action scene in this film, but the rest should be destroyed. Now.

- The Sorcerer's Apprentice - So much wrong in this movie. The biggest problem? It just isn't interesting.

- Gulliver's Travels - Whoever is responsible for this script needs to be banned from Hollywood.

- MacGruber - Whoever is responsible for this script needs to be banned from Hollywood and publicly flogged. That celery business? Flogging is the only appropriate response.

The 'Didn't Live Up to My Expectations' Bracket

- Alice in Wonderland - I think it suffers from trying to keep everyone happy and, heck, maybe it worked. It sure made a lot of money. But, imagine if we'd had the old Burton in charge of this, instead of the new, commercially viable Burton. Imagine if this version were less Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and more Nightmare Before Christmas or Ed Wood. Now can you see what I see? There were a couple of moments where it almost lived up to its potential, but then that horrible dance at the end destroyed all of my goodwill.

- Due Date - I was hoping for funnier. What more can I say?

- Easy A - I didn't get any of the main character's motivations. She does all this random stuff, but you never get a sense of why. The movie created a huge, complicated mess, then cleaned it up far too easily. I'd have liked a better sense of consequence. Sure, the voice of the character was occasionally engaging, but the actual character was insane.

- Iron Man 2 - It didn't do anything to elevate the formula and it didn't make me care. Boring is the last thing I want from my superheros.

- Micmacs - Gets lost in its own quirkiness. Doesn't know what it is about or what it is trying to do.

- The Tempest - I thought at least it would be a magnificent failure, but it couldn't even muster that. No excitement. No drama. No romance. Just embarrassment and a few lovely costumes. Helen, you did great, but you deserved better.

The 'Left Me Feeling Empty and Cold' Bracket

- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - This movie has a job to do. It feels more like watching items get checked off a list, than becoming immersed in a story. It's a shame, because C.S. Lewis deserves so much better.

- Clash of the Titans - Who are these people? Why should we care?

- Date Night - This movie expects its cast to do all the heavy lifting. Yes, the cast is great and very funny, but there is zero sense of peril at any point in the story. Without danger, the concept doesn't work. Instead, it just feels like a prolonged, network television episode.

- The Joneses - This movie has ideas, but doesn't know how to execute them. Very bland, without many tonal shifts. In the end it takes the easy way out, instead of daring to be something special.

- Ondine - Started out as something strong, but went into strange tonal directions and lost most of the sincerity it built up in the beginning. The worst part? The obnoxious child actor for whom was written one of the most horrible precocious child roles I've seen in a while.

- Somewhere - Don't take this the wrong way. I'm a big Sofia Coppola fan. I've really liked her other films. But, Somewhere felt pretentious, self-indulgent and unnecessary. There were a couple beautiful moments, but the rest was static.

The 'Indifferent or Forgotten' Bracket

Because it's the 'Indifferent or Forgotten' bracket, I'm just gonna let these movies sit here and gather dust. Hear that sound? Tumbleweeds. Tumbleweeds falling asleep from boredom.

Centurion
Just Wright
The Karate Kid
The Losers
Red
The Tourist

The 'Worked as a Character Study, But...' Bracket

- Get Low - Some powerhouse acting in this film and genuinely interesting characters. I loved seeing them bounce off one another. The premise is great, but the story ultimately disappointing.

- I Am Love - Hubby and I disagree on this one. He thinks the entire film is brilliant. For me, the melodrama was too apparent and the story too predictable. The notes rang false at several key points. However, I cannot deny the insane, brilliant and amazing performance by Tilda Swinton. That woman should have gotten an Oscar nod. Her exclusion was a travesty.

- I Love You Phillip Morris - If you look only at the parts that tell a love story, then it's a brilliant film. On the other hand, there are so many things that don't add up, so many moments that exist only to draw attention to themselves, and so many info dumps that could have been eliminated. Ewan and Carrey are great, great, great. The script? A little too charmed with itself.

- Let Me In - As a viewer you get to the point where you're breathing in time with these characters. They're fascinating and the world they live in is fascinating. The problem? I felt the line between right and wrong stayed far too clear. When the characters made the wrong choices, I knew why they were doing it, but I never wanted them to. I wish the movie could have blurred the lines a bit more and made me feel like darkness could be a legitimate option. I think, that for the story to work, it needed to do that. It tried, I could feel it trying, but it didn't succeed. There was potential for so much more.

- The Trotsky - First off, I have you tell you, this movie is funny. It is very funny. The dialogue is sharp and smart. Jay Baruchel proves that he can and should be cast in leading roles. I loved watching him onscreen. However, the story is problematic.

- The Illusionist - A quiet little film, this works when we get to see the characters interact with the world around them. There's something desperate and dark beneath the surface of this otherwise charming story that intrigues me. All the same... when it's over there's an emptiness, a sense of distance, and a big question mark over the film. I didn't feel like I'd had a good meal. Instead, I felt like the waiter had forgotten me.

The 'So Close' Bracket

- Daybreakers - Don't laugh, but this movie is a great time. It's got ideas, guts and follow through. It manages to achieve insane, crazy things. It stays entertaining throughout. Yes, it is campy, but that isn't always a bad thing. If only some of the story elements hadn't been so... lazy.

- The King's Speech - Oooh, I'm gonna get flack for this one. Yes, it's everyone's favorite film. Me? Not so much. It came close, but I cannot overlook the unoriginal script. This movie is every inspirational sports movie ever made. You've got the underdog, the unconventional coach, the training montage, the self-doubt and setbacks, the female who encourages and supports our hero, the falling out and almost giving up, and the final triumph. Never was I surprised by anything in this film. Yes, it used a convention and did it very well, but I don't believe this movie did anything to advance the art of film making. The actors were great, but I would have preferred Colin Firth win the Oscar for his performance in A Single Man the year before. That was a movie that slayed me on every level.

- Never Let Me Go - I'm probably biased, because this is one of my favorite books, but the movie let me down (or let me go, if you prefer the pun). There were a few moments it succeeded brilliantly, but the relationship between the characters (kinda the whole point) was simplistic and lacking.

- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - This movie has style dripping from every corner, but I never wanted the two main characters to get together. That seems like a problem. All the same, it's really cool.

- The Way Back - A lot of interesting stuff happens here, but the movie doesn't make much effort to bring you into the characters. Most of the time you feel like you're watching them from a distance. That's a shame, because so many other elements work.

The 'Surpassed My Expectations' Bracket

- Despicable Me - I totally expected this movie to suck. How wrong I was! Great laughs, a sense of joy and fun, and a story that was almost Pixarian in it's ability to sneak attack emotion. I might have misted up slightly.

- How To Train Your Dragon - Yeah, my expectations were not high for this one, either. How wrong I was! The lead character was absolutely enchanting and the movie made his plight feel real. The world design was breathtaking and the dragons were super cool. On top of that, it made a gutsy choice at the end, which made me respect it even more.

- Tangled - Disney has burned through a lot of my goodwill over the last few years, so I didn't expect much from their latest project. The trailers made it look trendy and annoying, another one of their focus group films. I almost didn't go. But, I'm glad I did. This movie was a joy. Bright, thoughtful, nuanced, and genuinely funny. There were even a couple old-fashioned Disney moments where you just hold your breath and watch the pretty. I gotta give them props on the original villain. It was a good year for animated movies.

- The Warrior's Way - This movie didn't get a very high tomatometer or much buzz upon release. That's a shame. It is a popcorn movie in the best sense. Extremely entertaining and takes the time to develop its characters. Great action and great characters? How often does that happen? Plus, it exists in an imaginative world with high stakes and villains so nasty you'll want to shoot them yourself. Underrated.

The 'Okay, This is Kinda Fun' Bracket

- Heartbreaker - It isn't brilliant, but it is a lot better than most of the romantic comedies Hollywood is churning out these days. Heartbreaker reminds me that romance can actually be fun.

- Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work - A portrayal of a comic desperate for success in a world where the men rule. This movie reveals so many facets of a surprisingly complex woman. I'd almost call it required feminist viewing.

- OSS 117: Lost in Rio - Aha! So this is how movies can be both idiotic and hilarious. I don't always get this kind of humor, but this film is so absurd and ridiculous that I left the theater with a big smile on my face.

The 'Just Plain Awesome' Bracket

- Another Year - Honest and lovely. The characters in this film are so real that I hesitate to call them characters. Engrossing.

- Inception - We've all seen it and we've all talked about. Inception will have a place in our popular culture for years to come. So much respect to Nolan for proving you can make a good, intelligent film and people will come to see it. Lots of people. The man has yet to disappoint me. Brilliant storyteller.

- The Other Guys - Wow, did this ever surprise me. I did not expect to spend the entire movie laughing my head off. I am not a public movie laughter. But, I almost lost it completely at several points. One in particular makes me crack up just at the mere thought of it. Freaking hysterical/brilliant. How did The Tourist get nominated for a Golden Globe over this one?

- The Social Network - Okay, we all know it is brilliant. Performance, writing, directing, everything comes together to create an image of one moment in time. It captures the spirit of our culture in a way that is distinct and thoughtful. People will remember this film.

- True Grit - Not the most Coeny of the Coen brother's films, but beautiful none the less. Though their directorial influence is invisible most of the time, it is assured and masterful. We end up feeling like we know these people and this world in a way we may never come to know our own friends. It's an old fashioned movie and I mean that in the best possible way.

The 'Top Films of the Year' Bracket

- Black Swan - Divisive and rightly so. This is a work of power and passion, so original and immersive that it haunted me for days. Yes, there are elements of melodrama and camp, but it's freaking Swan Lake! It's pantomime, ballet and drama. This is the story, folks. This is the way it has always been told. There are so many layers of meaning to this film that it is insane. I wrote a review here because it wouldn't let go of my brain. When a movie can be so intelligent at the same time that it is completely visceral, I've gotta applaud it. This is art.

- Blue Valentine - It blows my mind that this film was directed by a newbie. It is so quietly competent, so delicately spun, that it feels like the work of a master craftsman. There is not a single moment when the movie is not perfectly on pitch. Yes, I'm using a lot of adverbs here. Yes, Blue Valentine deserves them all. Devastating in a way that transcends language, it still, even months later, amazes me.

- Toy Story 3 - Oh, Pixar. Is it weird for me to say that you give me hope for humanity? I don't know who wrote it, but one of the reviews I read claimed that, "Toy Story 3 is a metaphor for everything." I can't say it much better than that. Thank you Pixar for loving your creations and your audiences so much. Now, stop with this Cars 2 crap and get back to the good stuff!

There you go! Movies. Whew! Yes, I know that the art of filmmaking is extremely subjective and you're welcome to disagree with me on any, or all, of these brackets. So, tell me. What were your top films of the year and why? Did you like or hate my top 3? Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have an amazing Memorial Day!

Reader's log:

44. On Writing - Stephen King

The Other Kind of Dream

You know that moment between dreams and waking? That moment when realities are shifting and you can't pin the truth down? Sometimes there is an intense sadness cutting through, because in your dream someone you love died and in your head they are still gone. Or, even worse, you dream someone alive, then wake up to discover they were dead all along. Last night I dreamed that one of my friends said something hurtful to me and I woke up feeling miffed at him. 

Go far enough back and memories are interchangeable with dreams. I remember both with the same clarity. A few of my childhood dreams were so vibrant that I don't know if they will ever leave me.

Dreams are often a tool for writers and filmmakers to reveal a character's subconscious state. I have to be honest, much as dreams fascinate me, most of the time I don't connect to their portrayal. They feel like a cool thing thrown in there because the creator thought it would be nifty. But, they end up taking away from the propulsion of the story. I just want the character to wake up so that they can get on with things! It can be a lazy way of explaining your character's feelings to spend a couple of pages describing some bizarre dream. Brilliant as you may be, I'm looking at you, Agnes De Mille.

I can't help but feel like Oklahoma! has some of the laziest storytelling ever. Sure, the Zeitgeist is fabulous, choreography stunning, music legendary, etc. But, the pivotal moment of the story comes about because Laurie takes some drugs that a peddler gives her and falls in love with Curly in a dream. Really? That's what caused the main female character to decide she loved the main male character? A drug-induced dream? Not any moments of truth based on things the character might have actually said or done in real life? Of course, it has been set up since the beginning that these two characters should end up together, so that makes it alright. Oh Rogers and Hammerstein, you make me want to laugh and cry, and not for the reasons you might think. Don't even get me started on Carousel.

Now, to compare one of the greatest classic films of all time to a television show about slaying vampires.

In the finale of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, season 4 all the big bads were gone and the whole episode revolved around the scooby gang crashing on the couch post-slaying. Each character nods off and has a dream.

Remember the guy with the cheese?

Why does this particular dream sequence work? Some might argue that it doesn't. Okay, why does it work for me? 1.) Unlike in Oklahoma!, the whole momentum of the plot does not depend upon it. 2.) The truths it reveals are foggy and open to misinterpretation, as in most dreams. Lots of other disjointed information weaves through the plot. 3.) The universe within which the show takes place has already established the fact that dreams can be prophetic. Because characters are running around killing vampires, it is easier to believe that a dream might have real significance. 4.) There is an intention behind the dream. It is driven by something other than chance and that is clearly stated. 5.) The story does not depend on the dream to do all of its character work. The decisions characters make in regards to each other are based on actual, real-life experience, not moments within the dream. Waking returns them to their conscious state.

The buffyverse uses dreams many times with varying levels of success.

As writers, if we're going to devote a lot of page space to dreams, I think we have to consider whether there is good reason to do so. Can we do it differently and meaningfully, or are we just looking for something simple and cool? Because dreams are fascinating. They tend to mesmerize our waking minds and we forget to use our analytical talents to consider that: yes, this has been done many, many, many, many times.

Our characters, ultimately, are going to be more interesting when they are awake. That's where the consequences and rewards exist.

Unless, as in Inception, you can figure out how to raise the dream stakes.

What dream sequences work or don't work for you?

Reader's log

5. Fire - Kristin Cashore

Black Swan

Nina is under an enchantment. She has been held by a sorcerer and kept innocent, alone and pure. She lives in a world that is white and pink, trapped in an eternal childhood. Her sorcerer is not Von Rothbart, but a mother who keeps her close through webs of guilt and control. Nina is a “sweet child”. She isn’t allowed to be anything more.

In many ways Nina is the archetypal, romantic ballerina. She is so thin she could balance on a rose without breaking the stem. She looks as though she was born to play the sylph, the wili or the white swan. She is so wrapped up in everyone’s conception of her that she has no voice of her own.

In these tales is usually a prince who arrives to rescue the princess, but for Nina there is no prince. Instead, her hope of salvation lies in the role of a lifetime, the lead in Swan Lake. Though she is perfect for the white swan, one senses that it is the more difficult role of Black Swan that allures her. Her restraint, her timidity, and her inexperience prevent her from being able to fully embody the Black Swan, but Nina persists in chasing after the character. All she has to do is let go, but letting go means loosing the identity that has been created for her.

In many ways the film is about control. Nina’s choreographer wants to control her transformation. If he yells at her enough, plays with her, and pushes her in the right direction, maybe he can take credit when she finally flies. Nina’s mother wants to control her daughter and keep her as a portrait of innocence and a symbol of success. Nina thinks that if she can control her body, then she can control her life. All are desperately scrambling to maintain control, but in the end each is powerless. Only Lily seems to have any semblance of power and that might be because she doesn’t care as much as the others. She is the Black Swan and she leaves a darkly illuminated path for Nina to follow.

Nina does follow. She finds her prince. She gains her perfect moment and finally transforms into the role of the Black Swan. The darkness was underneath her skin the whole time. That was why she had spent her whole life scratching to get down to it.

But, the Black Swan leaves Nina just as the prince betrayed Odette. Nina’s body and mind cannot maintain the level of intensity and psychosis required to hold onto the character. The world shifts around her and she cannot separate reality from fantasy. Horrors unfold, fears loom, she defeats them all, breaks the enchantment, and then collapses. At the end of everything, her face is a mask of wonderment. She knows that she has achieved her goal. She is willing to accept the cost. One wonders if she knew all along what it would be.

The tragedy is that, even at the height of her accomplishment, the greatest praise her choreographer can muster is to call her his “little princess”. Not so different from a “sweet child”.

Black Swan is a smart, well-cast film. It is a bit of a melodrama, but once you step into the world it creates, all of the drama is well placed and vital to the story. Black Swan is a Jekyll and Hyde version of a dark fairytale where every room holds the potential for a nightmare. The dance scenes are beautifully and intelligently filmed. It is clear that Natalie Portman spent her training time focusing on port de bras and epaulement. The audience didn’t have to watch her stumbling around trying to create a clear facsimile of extension and hip placement. Instead, her upper body told the story and (from someone who has seem many films with actresses trying to dance) this was a smart, smart choice. Even if it was hard to watch in many places, I really enjoyed the film and loved seeing how respectfully all the details of the dance world were portrayed.

The journey to becoming a well-balanced and powerful dancer is not a painless one. It is a road filled with sacrifices, where it all too easy to become obsessed or dejected. In my time as a dancer and teacher, I’ve experienced the struggle and seen many battle their personal demons in the classroom and onstage. That’s why a supportive community is so important in the dance world, as is a healthy dosage of the real world.

Terrible Things - April Smith and the Great Picture Show